Sergio Henao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sergio Henao

Henao in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Sergio Luis Henao Montoya
Nickname	El Venao
Born	(1987-12-10) 10 December 1987 (age 37) Rionegro, Colombia
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	61 kg (134 lb; 9 st 8 lb)
Team information
Current team	Nu Colombia
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Climbing specialist
Major wins
Grand Tours Giro d'Italia 1 TTT stage (2013) Stage races Paris–Nice (2017) One-day races and Classics National Road Race Championships (2017, 2018)

Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (born 10 December 1987) is a professional racing cyclist from Colombia. He is known for being a strong climber and has won important races like Paris–Nice. He currently rides for the Nu Colombia team. Before this, he competed for teams like Team Sky, UAE Team Emirates, and Team Qhubeka NextHash.

Early Life and Beginnings

Sergio Henao was born in Rionegro, Colombia, in 1987. This was the same year another famous Colombian cyclist, Luis Herrera, won the Vuelta a España.

Starting His Cycling Journey

Henao began showing his talent in cycling at a young age. In 2005, he won two stages in a junior race called the Vuelta del Porvenir. He also came in second place overall in that race, right behind another future star, Rigoberto Urán. That same year, he finished second in the junior Vuelta a Venezuela.

In 2006, Sergio continued to achieve great results, often finishing on the podium in major races. He won the Clasic Norte de Santander. By 2007, he joined the Colombia es Pasión team and started racing outside of South America. He finished 15th in the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid and won two stages in the Clasico Ciclistico Banfoandes in Venezuela. He also took third place in the Vuelta a Antioquia, his home race, and third in the Colombian National Championships time trial for under-23 riders.

Henao wearing the leader's jersey at the 2010 Vuelta a Colombia

In 2008, he won the under-23 version of the Vuelta a Colombia, winning two stages. Two years later, in 2010, he won the main Vuelta a Colombia race, taking two stages and the overall title. In 2011, just before moving to Europe, he won the first part of the Tour of Utah. He then increased his lead on the first stage by being part of a group of five riders, including Levi Leipheimer.

Professional Career Highlights

Joining Team Sky in 2012

In 2012, Sergio Henao became a professional cyclist. He joined the Team Sky team, where his friend Rigoberto Urán also rode. He signed a two-year contract.

Henao in the opening time trial of the 2012 Giro d'Italia

Henao had a strong first year. He finished 13th overall in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. He also competed in the Ardennes Classics, which are tough one-day races. He finished 21st in Amstel Gold, 14th in La Flèche Wallonne, and 29th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

In May, Henao was chosen for Team Sky's team for the Giro d'Italia. This was his first "Grand Tour" race, which are the biggest cycling events. He did very well, finishing in the top ten on two stages. He also wore the White Jersey for the best young rider for two days. He ended up ninth overall and second in the young rider classification.

After the Giro, Henao raced in the Tour de Pologne, where he finished third overall. He also represented Colombia in the Olympic Road Race and finished 16th. He then came in second overall in the Vuelta a Burgos. Henao also rode the Vuelta a España to support his teammate Chris Froome. He finished 14th overall in that race. He ended his impressive season with a fifth-place finish in the Giro di Lombardia.

Victories and Challenges in 2013-2014

Henao outsprinted Carlos Betancur to win the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country.

Henao started 2013 strong, placing second in the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana. He then won Stage 3 of the Volta ao Algarve, which was his first win with Team Sky. He also won the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. This win put him in the lead for the overall race. He finished third overall in that race, behind fellow Colombian Nairo Quintana.

In 2014, his cousin Sebastián Henao joined him at Team Sky. However, 2014 was a challenging year for Sergio. He was temporarily removed from racing by his team due to questions about some test results. Team Sky explained that they needed more research on how living at high altitude affects cyclists like Henao. After research was done, he was cleared to return to racing. But, while preparing for the 2014 Tour de Suisse, he was hit by a car. This accident caused a fractured knee, which meant he couldn't race for the rest of the year.

Comeback and Strong Performances in 2015-2016

Henao made his return to racing in 2015 at the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali. He then rode the Tour of the Basque Country, where he took the race lead after finishing second on Stage 3. He held the lead until the final time trial, where he finished second overall, just 13 seconds behind the winner.

Henao at the 2016 Paris-Nice

In 2016, Henao started the season well at the 2016 Tour Down Under, finishing third overall and winning the mountains classification. He also came in second at the Colombian National Road Race Championships. His first European race was Paris–Nice in March, where he finished sixth overall. He played a key role in helping his teammate Geraint Thomas win the race. He continued his good form, finishing second at the GP Miguel Induráin and the Tour of the Basque Country.

Later in 2016, Henao was again temporarily withdrawn from racing due to a new investigation by the UCI (cycling's governing body) regarding his biological passport. However, his team supported him, and he was cleared to race again. He was a very important helper for Chris Froome in the Tour de France, where Froome won for the third time.

Henao also represented Colombia in the Olympic Road Race. He was part of a strong group of riders who attacked on the final climb. Unfortunately, Henao crashed on the final descent and had to leave the race with a broken collarbone.

National Champion and Paris-Nice Winner in 2017

Henao at the 2017 Paris–Nice, a race where he won the general classification by two seconds.

Henao started 2017 by winning the Colombian National Road Race Championships. In March, he achieved a major victory by winning the Paris–Nice race. He won by a very small margin of just two seconds, holding off a strong attack from Alberto Contador on the final day. This was a very exciting finish to a tough race.

Major Results

Grand Tour Results

Grand Tour General Classification Results
Grand Tour	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Giro d'Italia	9	16	—	—	—	—	13	—	—	—
Tour de France	—	—	—	—	12	28	—	47	—	21
Vuelta a España	14	28	—	22	—	—	28	45	15	DNF

Major Stage Race Results

Major Stage Race General Classification Results
Race	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Paris–Nice	—	—	—	—	6	1	12	31	—	19
Tirreno–Adriatico	—	12	—	—	—	—	—	—	22	—
Volta a Catalunya	—	—	—	—	—	—	29	—	NH	—
Tour of the Basque Country	13	3	—	2	2	8	—	14		—
Tour de Romandie	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		51
Critérium du Dauphiné	—	—	—	—	13	—	—	—	—	—
Tour de Suisse	—	—	DNF	11	—	—	—	13	NH	—

Classic Race Results

See also

In Spanish: Sergio Luis Henao para niños